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Research Hub

Research programmes

Protocols and statistical analysis plans will be published before data collection begins.

  1. Programme AStatus: PILOT IN PREPARATION

    Substrate Telemetry and Thermal-Stress Mitigation

    Intensive larval rearing generates concentrated metabolic heat. When dense substrate beds exceed critical temperature thresholds, large numbers of larvae can die unmonitored. We are developing ruggedised, offline-first substrate probes for tropical farm conditions. Operating over low-bandwidth 2G networks, the system will send automated SMS alerts to facility operators so they can adjust aeration and ventilation. Data from the pilot is intended to inform practical, evidence-based guidance for Kenya’s national code of practice for Black Soldier Fly farming.

    Programme details for Substrate Telemetry and Thermal-Stress Mitigation

    Status timeline

    1. Planned
    2. In preparationCurrent stage
    3. In progress
    4. Published
  2. Programme BStatus: IN DEVELOPMENT

    Behavioural and Physiological Welfare Indicators

    Developing scalable, low-cost on-farm assessment tools to map physiological and behavioural welfare indicators across the larval life cycle.

    Programme details for Behavioural and Physiological Welfare Indicators

    Status timeline

    1. PlannedCurrent stage
    2. In preparation
    3. In progress
    4. Published
  3. Programme CStatus: METHODOLOGY IN DEVELOPMENT

    Humane Slaughter and Loss-of-Responsiveness Assays

    Planned randomised comparison of common commercial harvest methods (boiling, blanching, rapid cooling) against pre-specified behavioural endpoints, including time to irreversible loss of responsiveness.

    Programme details for Humane Slaughter and Loss-of-Responsiveness Assays

    Status timeline

    1. PlannedCurrent stage
    2. In preparation
    3. In progress
    4. Published

Programme logic

Theory of Change

  1. 1

    Problem

    Insect farming is expanding in Africa with almost no welfare evidence; heat-stress losses go unmonitored; slaughter methods are untested.

  2. 2

    Activities

    Deploy offline SMS temperature sensors; onboard pilot facilities with a baseline period; count mortality using a standard protocol; run a randomised comparison of slaughter methods; engage producers and standard-setters.

  3. 3

    Outputs

    An alert system; a micro-climate dataset; an assay dataset; published protocols.

  4. 4

    Outcomes

    Producers act on alerts, reducing thermal-stress mortality; evidence on which harvest method ends responsiveness fastest.

  5. 5

    Long-term impact

    Welfare evidence informs Kenya’s insect-farming standards and can be replicated in other countries.

Assumptions

  • operators respond to alerts
  • heat-stress mortality is non-negligible at pilot sites
  • pilot facilities agree to participate
  • temperature thresholds are confirmed against the published literature (provisional)

Failure criteria

If baseline thermal-stress mortality proves negligible, the programme shifts emphasis to the slaughter assays and standardisation work.